Following the Claims of Zaldy Co, Ombudsman Boying Remulla Speaks on Flood Control Accused
Ombudsman Boying Remulla asserted that the Philippine government is ready to provide protection against Zaldy Co should he decide to return to the country.
Amid the calls for him to return to the Philippines and answer to the massive flood control accusations against him, Zaldy Co claimed that Pres. Bongbong Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez allegedly mastermind a P100 billion budget insertion in the 2025 national fund.
Co claimed that he allegedly confirmed the supposed order to insert P100 billion in the 2025 national budget to then-Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, then-Department of Budget and Management Sec. Amenah Pangandaman, and then-Speaker Romualdez. They allegedly confirmed the order and Romualdez supposed said that the President gets what he wants.
The resigned Ako Bicol Partylist Representative further claimed that all the kickbacks from the said P100 billion budget insertion went to Marcos Jr. and Romualdez. According to him, he was allegedly told not to return to the Philippines but he did not expect to be the “poster boy” in the government’s fight against corruption.
Zaldy Co also released a list of the projects that were allegedly included in the P100 billion budget insertion ordered by Marcos Jr. According to him, he is concerned about his safety as he was allegedly warned by former Speaker Martin Romualdez that he might be killed if he will return to the country.
Pres. Bongbong Marcos remained mum on the accusations of alleged corruption against him. Malacañang claimed that Zaldy Co allegedly wants the probe to stop so he allegedly tagged Marcos Jr. in the issue of corruption in the country. Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro also stressed that the accusations against Co were based on testimony. She challenged the former House member to return to the country and make his claims under an oath.
Recently, Ombudsman Boying Remulla spoke on the accusations of Zaldy Co against Pres. Bongbong Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, despite the malversation and graft cases filed against Co, he asserted that the Philippine government is ready to provide protection if he decides to return to the country.
Ombudsman Boying Remulla stressed that he needs the witnesses alive. According to him, if Zaldy Co is frightened over something, he must tell them. Based on the report, Remulla stressed that anything that might happen to Co might be blamed on the government.
“I need witnesses alive. Kung meron siyang ibang kinatatakutan, sabihin niya, tutulungan namin siya. We don’t want anyone to be gunned. Siyempre sa’min ibibintang pag may mangyari,” the Ombudsman said.
Ombudsman Boying Remulla assured that they can make the proper arrangements so Zaldy Co won’t be exposed to peril if he will return to the Philippines. Based on the report, he stressed that Co has to return as he is also accused of a crime.
“We can go to the tube and pick him up and bring him through a route with a waiting vehicle where somebody he trusts is there, and we can put it all on video, everything happening. We can have body-worn cameras the whole time,” Remulla said.
Previously, Malacañang reacted to the “suitcase photos” of Zaldy Co amid his corruption accusations against Marcos Jr.